Jennifer Helsing came to Bulgaria at the beginning of last year on a six-month internship that evolved into long-term employment. The job has put her in close contact with the Bulgarian community, which has become her primary source of entertainment and friendship.

Bulgaria's a great place for people like Jennifer Helsing, who enjoy feeling unique.

"I feel most comfortable in international groups," she said. "You feel special somehow. Back in Canada, I'm just another Canadian."

Jennifer's been in Bulgaria for over a year and a half working for UNDP. The job began as an internship, which she applied for shortly after obtaining her master's in Ottawa, Canada. "The global mandate is eliminating poverty," she explained. "We work with the government to help strengthen democracy."

Lately, the UNDP has been focusing on the creation and promotion of business incubators throughout the country. They've also put in place several programs, such as Beautiful Bulgaria, which is a temporary employment scheme.

"We hire people - mostly minorities - and train them in construction," she said, explaining that once they have the necessary skills, they're hired to renovate some of the country's more run down buildings. "In the end, we have a fixed up building, and people who gain useful skills.

"Fifty per cent go on to long term jobs."

Jennifer's really enjoyed her time here, although, last year, she experienced her first Christmas away from home - something which gave her mixed feelings. "It was really fun to learn all the Bulgarian traditions, even though I really missed candy canes," she said.

She also missed singing Christmas carols, and the snow which usually accompanies Canadian winters but was lacking in Bulgaria last year. However, she especially enjoyed a Christmas rakia her Bulgarian friends made using carmalized sugar. "It's about the only time I've really enjoyed rakia," she said.

Jennifer returned from a month long trip to Canada last week, something which enabled her to catch up with her friends back home. "Most still don't have a grip on what I do," she said. "But most have figured out where Bulgaria is."

And while she enjoyed being home, she found herself thinking often of Bulgaria. "I missed it a lot while I was in Canada. I missed the prices, the food, the people, and the weather," she said, adding she didn't mind having a little more space to herself. "When I came back, my personal space was invaded, but I felt like I was coming home."

She took the opportunity to return with some much missed items, like peanut butter, even though she's come to enjoy the food she finds here. "I love it now - `now' is key," she said. On her list of favourites are the country's fruits and vegetables, kavarma (a form of meat stew), and ovcharska. "Ovcharska is like a souped up version of shopska," she explained.

In her time here, Jennifer has found herself preferring the company of locals. "All my friends are Bulgarian," she said. "I drift in and out of the expatriate community."

She has, however, found Bulgarian men difficult to date. "There's a machoism, a chauvinism, and often a racial attitude, that me and my little Canadianess find difficult to accept," she said, adding it was a shame because she's always found the men a lot of fun to be around.

On a whole, she said the Bulgarians she's met have been very accepting and warm. "I'm constantly feeling so honoured by being brought into their world. This is why I have exclusively Bulgarian friends."

When it comes to the language, Jennifer admits she has a long way to go, but proudly states her knowledge of four verbs. "I've picked up the Cyrillic alphabet, that was really fun - I like mind games." She said to help herself learn, she would try reading the signs she would see from the bus, and blurt them out excitedly upon deciphering them - much to the bewilderment of those around her.

Jennifer has had some bad experiences here, however. She was robbed on Christmas day by two Gypsies who let themselves into her apartment after she went to the kitchen to bring them some shortbread cookies and money. "In the 30 seconds I was out of the room, they found my purse and cleaned it out," she said.

Fortunately, Jennifer's eternal optimism makes it very difficult for any of these negative experiences to upset her, and she hasn't grown tired of the country quite yet. Although her contract expires at the end of the year, she's not sure what the future holds, and admits she's open to staying.

If she were to leave, however, she has her eye on a few locales. "I wouldn't mind Macedonia, Croatia or Serbia," she said. "And I'd love to work in Belgrade - I really like the Balkans. "Actually, anywhere in Eastern Europe would be good."